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Thread: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

  1. #21
    Registered User LMC's Avatar
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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Good stuff from Chef & NZ ...

    There's hope for me yet. Instinctively, I try to get my heel as close to directly under my buttock as possible. I never knew this was taught as good practice, it just felt easier for me to stay balanced and take at least some of my own weight on that foot, whilst allowing my left foot to slide forward for the 'line'. And yes, it does need good quad muscles! Together with Nigel's advice that the follower uses her pelvic muscles and glutes (i.e. not the thigh muscles) to help lift out, it's all starting to make sense ...

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Chef View Post
    Interesting. So the guy stays split weighted in the drop and the change in his height is done sumo wrestler style? You can use the power from both thighs to do the lift.
    Actually, this depends on the drop itself I suppose. Cradle or neck drops do require a lunge the way you were describing because your holding your partner at you own arms length (or less) and not your arm length plus hers. Any ballroom type variation is definitely and even split though. Sorry for not being more specific, but it was 2am here in NZ when I was posting :P



    Well I had a sofa but not a low bar. so I tried it on the sofa.

    You give good post. Great to discuss stuff with you.
    Thanks!

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Chef View Post
    I am not sure what you are saying here. Are you saying that most men are putting you into drops that they cannot get you back out of? If that is the case then they need to learn the wisdom of taking a cautious approach when trying something with a new partner.







    Yes! There seem to be a minority of men who throw caution to the wind with me.

    I agree about using the centre of gravity and not the legs.
    I remember when I was a newbie having being dropped about 15 times during the old classic "Can I?" It was a fantastic dance, I have no idea who he was, being so new. I would certainly not have been using any leg muscles, simply because I did not have any!

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    Yes! There seem to be a minority of men who throw caution to the wind with me.

    I agree about using the centre of gravity and not the legs.
    I remember when I was a newbie having being dropped about 15 times during the old classic "Can I?" It was a fantastic dance, I have no idea who he was, being so new. I would certainly not have been using any leg muscles, simply because I did not have any!
    I don't think it is just you. It happens quite often that some men throw caution to the wind (especially it seems with very small/light ladies) and the men get themselves into lunges/drops that they would struggle to get out of on their own, the additional weight of a partner making the process of recovery almost impossible and certainly completely undignified.

    I see it quite a bit on the dance circuit and I would hope that it is just part of the learning process for the people that are doing them. They try something that they have either been taught or seen someone else doing, find that they have bitten off more than they can chew and learnt from the experience that either it's not as easy as it looks or they have missed something vital in the lesson. Most people iron out the bugs quite quickly. For a small number of people the learning process can be painfully slow.

    There are a number of things that the followers can do to make the whole operation easier - most of them being not to do things that make it harder for the lead.

    For the most part, mishaps (provided no one gets hurt) are part of the learning process for both parties. Of course, patience and understanding start to wear thin after many months of the same mistakes being made.

    Have fun Astro. I hope you enjoy your dance journey and that we meet some day.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Chef View Post

    There are a number of things that the followers can do to make the whole operation easier - most of them being not to do things that make it harder for the lead.
    These?
    1. Try to have my C.O.G. near the Lead's C.O.G. just before the drop.
    2. Squeeze my buttocks together when in drop position.
    3. Don't bother to push myself up until near to vertical.

    Have fun Astro. I hope you enjoy your dance journey and that we meet some day.
    Thankyou
    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post

    As i understand it, it should be on the leg nearest to the lead that the weight is taken and the outside leg stretched out. I am finding this impossible as i do the complete reverse. Is it a matter of practicing or do i have a weakness in my legs or does it not really matter.
    I remember, as a beginner, intinctively wanting to use my left leg (farthest away from the lead) but as the teachers/demos used the right, I made myself use the right. From the replies to this thread it seems it does not matter (apart from style) which we use. So I am going to try using my left as I use my right for spinning, and thus the right leg is overburdened and becoming weak.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    These?
    1. Try to have my C.O.G. near the Lead's C.O.G. just before the drop.
    2. Squeeze my buttocks together when in drop position.
    3. Don't bother to push myself up until near to vertical.
    Yes to points 2 and 3. On point 1 I would only modify what you said to make it become a case of getting your C.O.G and close as possible to the leaders C.O.G. when you are in the deepest part of the drop, rather than just before the start of the drop. For the drops that we use it means that my partner and I have to start so that her heels are just to the right side of my right foot and her body line is perpendicular to mine. As we go into the drop my left foot slides out to my left, exactly along my body line, as she reclines. At the deepest part of the drop an imaginary vertical line passing through my navel would coincide with the side of her waist nearest to her navel.

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    I So I am going to try using my left as I use my right for spinning, and thus the right leg is overburdened and becoming weak.
    What happens when you want to spin to the left (anticlockwise)? Surely you will use your left foot for spins in that direction. Try to ensure that you practice your spins and turns so that you don't have a side that is dominant (although almost everyone is better at spinning in one direction than the other. Find what you are bad at and make it better rather than playing to your strengths all the time. The way I think about it is if you can only spin one way then it is one half of your possibilites that are cut off from you.

    One word of warning about my advice. There many ways of doing things and what I say is only one point of view. Seek out the opinions of many and see what the common themes are.
    Last edited by Chef; 4th-March-2007 at 04:58 PM.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    NZ Monkey - pure gold and spot on (IMHO)

    Quote Originally Posted by Astro View Post
    From the replies to this thread it seems it does not matter (apart from style) which we use.
    IMHO it does matter. Using the inside leg (one closest to the lead) keeps centre of ballence close and is more stable.
    If you have an injury, of course this is time to adapt or avoid the move.

    Using core body and hips to bring yourself up AFTER an initial lead out of the move by the "lead" makes it much smoother.
    Some girls also like to "bodyroll" up - hips, belly, chest for added style. This makes it much more of a flow and less of a jerky motion by the guy only.

    Picking up a dead weight from the floor, looks like, well, picking up a dead weight from the floor. Even if the dead weight has a stiff body.

    Also to note from NZ Monkey, is to keep the trailing foot on the floor, sliding forward and back on the floor - waggling feet in the air not only looks bad, it also mucks up ballence.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post
    ok.. this is something i am struggling with and perhpas somebody could give me some tips on how to overcome it.

    I have never been dropped that much but recently, due to weight loss, i am having leaders do it with me more often. I have since discovered though that i am taking the weight on the wrong leg. As i understand it, it should be on the leg nearest to the lead that the weight is taken and the outside leg stretched out. I am finding this impossible as i do the complete reverse. Is it a matter of practicing or do i have a weakness in my legs or does it not really matter.

    Help guys.!!!
    take your weight on the leg touching the floor to avoid falling over. Other than that, its the comfortable one.

    I admit i never read any of this thread

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    take your weight on the leg touching the floor to avoid falling over. Other than that, its the comfortable one.

    I admit i never read any of this thread
    Man this is the worst advice I have heard in years.

    Both feet (no legs) should be touching the floor, "the comfortable one?" Style and ballence must come into it somewhere???

    Last edited by Martin; 7th-March-2007 at 03:12 PM.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    take your weight on the leg touching the floor to avoid falling over. Other than that, its the comfortable one.

    I admit i never read any of this thread
    I'd suggest having a foot touching the floor, if you're using your leg that's touching the floor, the drop may have already gone wrong.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post
    Man this is the worst advice I have heard in years.
    You clearly don't read any of my advice on the forum then

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Martin View Post
    Man this is the worst advice I have heard in years.

    Both feet (no legs) should be touching the floor, "the comfortable one?" Style and ballence must come into it somewhere???

    Nice edit!

    Too late, I saw the original

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    Nice edit!

    Too late, I saw the original
    True

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    You clearly don't read any of my advice on the forum then
    I will take more notice DS


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    Fake ID to promote Lindsay's events Dorothy's Avatar
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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    I usually keep the leg closest to my partner on the floor and weighted.
    I agree with DS though, whatever feels comfortable should be fine, and as Ceroc don't generally teach rigid foot positions, it doesn't matter.

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    Re: Which leg to use in drops for taking weight

    Quote Originally Posted by Dorothy View Post
    I usually keep the leg closest to my partner on the floor and weighted.
    I agree with DS though, whatever feels comfortable should be fine, and as Ceroc don't generally teach rigid foot positions, it doesn't matter.
    I'm not anti-Ceroc, but I can't let that one go. Just because Ceroc don't teach it, does not mean that it doesn't matter.

    CerocFusion are teaching more and more simple dips and seducers in rushed intermediate lessons nowadays and very rarely touch on any safety issues at all.
    I'm no expert but I often end up having to give advise to each lady that comes through and also helping the new "intermediates" either side of me.

    Nothing personal Dorothy, just ranting really.

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